Picture Perfect
by Secret Girlfriend
Summary: After a a very hard day, they both think each other is perfect.


Rachel leaned up against and wall and slid down, head in her hands. The slushy was running down her back now it was sending chills through her whole body. She was so sick of all of this. She thought it had stopped since the football team had won, but people still didn't want to grow up. High school was supposed to be the time you learned and grew as a person, making friends and realizing goals. Not when you turned immature seven year olds that threw flavored ice at people they were different.

Things had kind of turned around in glee club, but why couldn't life outside of that be easier. Why couldn't she walk down halls without Karofsky throwing something at her or some random person she didn't even know turn to their friends and start talking about her as if she couldn't hear? Why couldn't guys stop comparing her to people like Quinn or Brittany? Who cared if she wasn't picture perfect?

Just then someone slid down the wall next to her. Looking over she saw Mike. "Hey."

"Hello Michael. How are you?"

"Are you seriously asking me that when you're all alone in a hallway dripping in corn syrup?"

She smiled. "Yes I am. It's best if I ignore my problems and focus on everyone else. Then they don't seem too big."

"Well, you need to stop making sure everyone else is fine before you're feel better. It's time to make sure Rachel Berry is the best she can be."

Rachel blushed but smiled. "Thanks Mike. It's good to know someone cares."

"You'd be surprised how many people care about you. Come on, let's get you cleaned up." He got up and held out his hand to pull Rachel up. They went into the nearest bathroom where Mercedes and Santana were waiting with a change of clothes that looked like they belonged to Santana.

While Mercedes they forced Mike out of the bathroom Santana started to wipe off the slushy. When Mercedes came back she started humming. Recognizing the tune Santana started to sing along. Rachel joined in has Mercedes added a harmony.

_Made a wrong turn, once or twice  
Dug my way out, blood and fire  
Bad decisions, that's alright  
Welcome to my silly life  
Mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood  
Miss 'No way, it's all good', it didn't slow me down  
Mistaken, always second guessing, underestimated  
Look, I'm still around_

Pretty pretty please, don't you ever ever feel  
Like you're less than less than perfect  
Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel like you're nothing  
You are perfect to me!

You're so mean, when you talk about yourself, you were wrong  
Change the voices in your head, make them like you instead  
So complicated, look happy, you'll make it!  
Filled with so much hatred... such a tired game  
It's enough! I've done all I can think of  
Chased down all my demons, I've seen you do the same

_Pretty pretty please, don't you ever ever feel  
Like you're less than less than perfect  
Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel like you're nothing  
You are perfect to me!_

_The whole world's scared so I swallow the fear  
The only thing I should be drinking is an ice cold beer  
So cool in line, and we try try try, but we try too hard and it's a waste of my time  
Done looking for the critics, cause they're everywhere  
They don't like my jeans, they don't get my hair  
Exchange ourselves, and we do it all the time  
Why do we do that? Why do I do that?_

_Pretty pretty please, don't you ever ever feel  
Like you're less than less than perfect  
Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel like you're nothing  
You are perfect to me!_

Rachel finally laughed as they came to a close. "Okay we are doing that for glee sometime!"

"Please, Mr. Shuester would never let us sing together. We'd steal the spotlight off of everyone else."

"Yeah, we wouldn't be allowing 'all the stars in our club shine.'" Santana said trying her best to mimic Mr. Shuester, but she went too low.

They all laughed as they got the rest of the slushy off Rachel. When she put on Santana's extra jeans and top, both girls gawked. "You need to borrow my clothes more often."

"Agreed." Laughing the three girls walked out of the bathroom. The way Mike eyes Rachel's new outfit only confirmed Santana's assessment.

Blushing Rachel quickly pulled Mike's head back into the present. "So where's Tina?"

"No idea. All she told is that she couldn't hang out tonight."

"So then you wouldn't mind showing a few girls around town then would you?" Santana smirked.

"Why, it would be my pleasure." He grinned as he put his arms around Rachel and Mercedes shoulders. Rachel gave him a shy smile. She was excited right now, but not just for the chance to hang with her friends. For ages now she had liked Mike. She couldn't place exactly when it had happened, but somehow it had ended up that way. Only she had realized it too late because Tina had grabbed him by then.

But she smiled happily as they all piled into Mike's car and just drove around for a while, singing with the radio, not sure exactly where to go. Eventually they decided to keep it simple and go to Breadsticks. At the restaurant Rachel sat next to Mike, backs to the door. 

They sat and ate, laughing and joking but then Santana just stopped mid-sentence. "Santana, what's wrong?" But then Mercedes looked up and saw what Santana was seeing and her jaw dropped. Mike and Rachel turned to look to, but Rachel wished they hadn't, because then she wouldn't have to see the way Mike's smile crumpled and his face fall.

Tina had walked in with someone none of them knew, but it definitely didn't look like they were just friends. They sat down together, not even noticing the booth of staring friends and Tina cuddled into his side.

Before Mike could even change the expression on his face Santana was up and marching over to Tina. "What the hell? Who is this?"

The look on Tina's face would've been funny if it hadn't been for the fact that her boyfriend was there. Before could respond Mike had gotten up and pushed Santana aside. "I'll repeat, what the hell? I thought you were busy tonight!"

"Obviously she was, cheating on you," Santana said throwing Tina the scariest glare she could imagine.

"Mike, I'm so sorry. I didn't know that-"

"That I would be here? Obviously or you would've found a different place to eat and gone on breaking my heart without me knowing it." Tina looked as if she was going to get up and pull Mike away, but he stepped away. "No, don't let me ruin you're date. I'll see you around."

Mike nearly ran out the door and Rachel and Santana quickly followed. Mercedes was close behind. They found him with the car already started. Climbing into the passenger seat, Rachel tried to think of something to say. All she could think was, "I am so sorry Mike."

"I don't want to talk about it. Not now." They pulled out of the lot in silence. Nothing had been said by the time they got to Rachel's house, having already dropped off Santana and Mercedes.

She almost opened the door but stopped. She couldn't leave Mike alone like this. "Is there anyone at your place right now Mike?"

"No the house is empty." His voice was low, slow and quiet. His face was still wearing a mask hiding any pain he was feeling.

"Stay here tonight. You can't be alone right now."

"You're dads wont mind?"

"You act as if there home. They're away on business for the fourth time this month. So even if they were home, it wouldn't matter. It's basically my house." She got out and went over to his side and had to pull him out of his seat.

Once inside, Rachel pushed him down onto the couch and went to get some movies from her room. "Step Up one, two or three?"

"Three please," Mike said from the couch. She put it in and started it before she went into the kitchen and made popcorn. She didn't know exactly what to feel at this point. She was happy that this basically meant the end of Mike and Tina's relationship, but she hated seeing Mike like this. So lifeless, so dull.

She came back out into the living room, giving Mike his popcorn and sitting down on the opposite couch. About twenty minutes later Mike's phone rang. Looking at the name, he got up. "I need to take this." He went into the kitchen as Rachel waited anxiously. She knew fur sure it was Tina when she heard Mike start yelling. The call lasted about ten minutes before he came back out, looking more defeated than he had before the call.

"Everything okay?"

"If having to break up your girlfriend because she's been cheating on you for six weeks sounds okay, then yeah. It's all good."

"Oh Mike." Rachel got up from her spot and went over to hug Mike. "I'm so sorry. This is so terrible."

"It's okay. Well it will be. I could feel things crumbling a long time ago. It just hurts that she resorted to finding a new guy before she could break up with me." He sighed. "I mean, did I do something wrong? Am I such a bad boyfriend that I forced my girlfriend into sneaking around behind my back?"

"Don't say that. This isn't your fault at all."

"How do you know that?" Mike looked at Rachel with confusion in eyes.

In response, she pulled out her phone and showed Mike the picture she had taken earlier of them, Santana and Mercedes. "Does that look like a bad guy there? This smiley, happy and energetic dancer? You're picture perfect Mike."

Mike finally smiled. "Thanks Rach." He pulled her under his arm and she cuddled into his side.

They watched the movie in silence for a while until Rachel realized something then laughed. "How did this day turn around? Earlier you where cheering me up, telling me to focus on my happiness and now here we are, me keeping you company and making sure you're all right."

"Well that's okay," Mike said shifting to look at Rachel, "as long as you feel the best you can. So, how are you?"

"I'm feeling really good right now." They just stared for a moment, Rachel having and battle in her mind. _He just broke up his girlfriend._ But he's right there. _You should give him some time. _But he's right there!

Mike decided though, as he leaned in kissed Rachel. When he pulled away, he smiled at Rachel who was blushing. "Me too. And by the way, I think you're perfect to."


End file.
